Honda Jazz Hybrid coming to Paris (4.4L/100km)

The Honda Jazz is about to get all green with the a hybrid version set to see the light of day at the Paris Motorshow. The Honda Jazz Hybrid will join the light car market to fight against the Ford Fiesta ECOnetic and other ultra-fuel-efficient models set to pop up.

Honda has announced that the Jazz Hybrid will make use of the company’s Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid technology and that the car’s “magic seats” are not compromised despite having a hybrid system. In fact the Jazz Hybrid is set to have the exact same cargo floor area as the non-hybrid variants.

Honda has cleverly situated the battery pack and power control unit of the hybrid system under the boot floor, that means the seats can still fold perfectly flat allowing the Jazz to act as an incredibly practical vehicle for all sorts of purposes.

The hybrid technology is the same as the one found in the new Honda Insight and CR-Z hybrid vehicles, which according to the Japanese company is the amalgamation of nearly 20 years of research and development. So far Honda has sold over half a million hybrid vehicles world wide.

Interestingly the Honda Jazz Hybrid makes use of the exact same 1.3 litre i-VTEC engine found in the Insight which will surely mean the little Jazz will have some serious go.

Fuel consumption is at 4.4L/100km compared to 6.4L/100km for the petrol Jazz manual. Nonetheless it still falls short of the 3.9L/100km fuel figure for the Ford Fiesta Econetic. CO2 emissions ratings come in at 104 g/km.

Much the same as the Insight and Civic Hybrid models, the Honda Jazz Hybrid will be able to run on its electric motor alone when traveling at low speeds.